Day 46 – Q 1.How does Sri Lanka feature in India’s strategic roadmap for the future? What concerns does India have with respect to China’s increasing influence in Sri Lanka? Examine.
1. How does Sri Lanka feature in India’s strategic roadmap for the future? What concerns does India have with respect to China’s increasing influence in Sri Lanka? Examine.
भारत के भविष्य के रणनीतिक रोडमैप में श्रीलंका का क्या स्थान है? श्रीलंका में चीन के बढ़ते प्रभाव के संबंध में भारत की क्या चिंताएं हैं? जांच करें।
INTRODUCTION
India and Sri lanka enjoy the legacy of strong cultural, economical and strategic ties since ages. India’s role in Sri Lanka has changed over the period from a mediator, a key actor to being perceived as a villain trying to interfere in domestic politics. However, with changing global power structure and geo-strategic conditions there is a need to re look at the entire scenario from a entirely new perspective.
BODY
India and Sri lanka have shared a love hate relationship over the ages, historically the relationship was shaped up more by the domestic factors than the strategic factors. The relation has seen vacillations related to Ethnic crisis, Operation Vadamarachi, Operation poomalai, Rajiv Gandhi-Jayawardene accord and so on. However, the relation has survived the test of time and is still going strong due to the following reasons-
- India has started to act as the Net Security Provider in the Indian ocean region, with many small countries looking up to India for assistance.
- India has historic geo cultural ties with Sri lanka like Indo-Srilanka accord of 1987.
- Geographical proximity and special ties with Indian and Sri lankan Tamils has given a unique dimension to the relation.
- India and Sri lanka are key partners in various FTAs. They are also important partners in groups like SAARC, BIMSTEC etc.
- It is a vital littoral partner in developing of Blue economy.
- The strategic location of Sri Lanka can be used to choke entry to India.
- Sri Lanka is one of the most vital stakeholders with respect to maritime security of India.
- Sri Lanka’s role become even more pivotal with increasing instability in Maldives and growing insecurities and political appeasement & patronage offered by China.
In order to strengthen the strategic ties with Sri Lanka, India and Sri lanka have carried out the following measures-
- Carrying out of military exercises like SLINEX and Mitra Shakti.
- Considering Sri lanka as a major stakeholder for IORARC.
- Sri lanka’s cooperation is also instrumental in MILAN naval exercise.
However, in recent times the fisherman issue, the issue related to bottom trawling and the increasing Chinese presence in Sri lanka is been seen to shape up the power dynamics and India’s relation with Sri Lanka due to the following issues-
- Chinese inroads in Sri lanka is seen to be threatening to India’s security and safety.
- Sri lanka is considered to be important to Chinese “String of pearls” theory which is considered to be threatening India’s security by presumably encircling India.
- Increasing Chinese role in Sri lanka and Indian ocean is seen to undermine India’s role as the net security provider.
- China has got lease of Hambantota port which could be used for military purpose in times to come.
- Increasing influence of China, will decrease Sri lanka’s dependence of India reducing India’s bargaining power.
CONCLUSION
It is said that, “You can change your friends and enemies; but not your neighbors”- Sri lanka is one of the most important neighbor to India from economic, cultural and strategic point of view. India’s policies should thus be dynamic according to changing times and we should not always look at Chinese’s relations with SriLanka from a “Zero Sum game” perspective even though we should be always cautious enough to protect our interests.
BEST ANSWER: GOG
